Dog surprises restaurant staff with a visit—reminding them of a moment they never thought he'd recall

HL: Two years later, this dog walked into a restaurant, and instantly recognized the man who had fed him

Most owners value people who love interacting with their pets and act like they have known them for years. Whether it's at the vet's clinic or strolling in the park, pet parents come across multiple friendly people who stop to pat a furry head. Now, while people may forget the animals after a brief interaction, pets don't really forget them. A dog owner experienced this profound reality firsthand when she took their puppy, Ritchie (@ritchiethepyr on Instagram), to a restaurant where the owner had once treated him with a delicious, cheesy delight.

A restaurateur had treated Ritchie with scrumptious cheese bread, and to test if he still remembered him, the pet owner took him to the same restaurant two years later. When they entered the eatery, Ritchie went straight to the owner, as if instantly recognizing him. Meanwhile, the food joint owner, too, recognized the dog, showering him with soft head scratches. "In a little bit, I [will] bring you a little bread, I will cool it off for you," he said, and Ritchie immediately sat down like a patient, good boy waiting for his treats. The dog's owner tried getting Ritchie out of the restaurant, but he didn't even budge, as if saying, 'There is no way I am moving until my food arrives.' The dog sat there, without disturbing anyone, waiting for the owner to show up with, perhaps, his favorite thing — a freshly baked cheese bread. 

The moment Ritchie had been waiting for so long finally arrived as the man showed up with food. "I am going to give you little by little so you don't eat it all at once," he said, slowly feeding the dog. After feeding the first cheese bread, the restaurant owner left to continue with his work after asking Ritchie to wait till he brought him another one in a while. As promised, the man came back, this time with another bread, and fed Ritchie, making his heart flutter in happiness. While leaving, he again asked the dog to wait as he would get one more for him, and as if understanding, Ritchie sat there, patiently waiting for him to return.

Just like him, most dogs remember people, especially those who have treated them with kindness. As per a report by Woof, dogs largely depend on associative memory, that is, they remember people, places, and experiences by associating them with specific smells, sights, or feelings.

Ritchie's sweet story received an outpouring of love on social media, with people appreciating the adorable dog's incredible memory. For example, @lakota_nannie commented, "This is wonderful! Your dog is so patient. The owner is so kind. What restaurant! He deserves a wonderful business like he is." Similarly, @charlie said, "My parents' dog hadn’t seen my best friend in 6 years (we moved away), and the first thing she did when she saw him was run to him, knock him over, and lick him. After 6 years, she knew who he was in a second."

Another user who goes by @kaciestherapy on the platform revealed, "I used to work at a Safeway that would let dogs in as long as they weren’t making a mess and so forth; I remembered EVERY dog that came through. Even the tiny purse ones. I’d remember that dog. What a good boy!" On the other hand, @katsumi_lynn wrote, "I read dogs that have owners who interact with them a lot have a good memory. They remember things more often than dogs that don’t have as much interaction."

You can follow Ritchie (@ritchiethepyr) on Instagram for more dog-related content.